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Pennyworth Teaser Trailer: Batman’s Butler Gets An Origin Story

Batman's butler Alfred Pennyworth gets an origin story in the teaser trailer for Pennyworth. The Caped Crusader's caretaker, housekeeper, guardian, and often disapproving father figure has been portrayed by numerous actors over the years, going back to Alan Napier's run as Alfred on the 1960s Batman TV show. Michael Gough would later go on to play Alfred in four movies (and opposite three different Batman actors), followed by Michael Caine's turn in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and, most recently, Jeremy Irons' vest-loving Aflred in the DCEU films Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

Elsewhere, on the small screen, Mr. Pennyworth has recently been played by Sean Pertwee on the live-action FOX series Gotham. Pertwee's Alfred is a relatively younger and more militaristic mentor than his predecessors, partly because Gotham takes place when Bruce Wayne is still a teenager learning the ropes of being a costumed vigilante. He's also a man with a mysterious and dangerous past that's been alluded on numerous occasions, but never fully explored. While Pennyworthisn't necessarily an origin story for Pertwee's Gotham character, the teaser trailer alone suggests it easily could be (with a few tweaks).

The Pennyworth teaser trailer is now online, ahead of the show's premiere on Epix sometime this summer. You can watch the (short) preview in the space below.

While the preview runs a mere 17 seconds, it nevertheless offers a nice introduction to the show's young Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon) and his James Bond-esque lifestyle. Indeed, when Pennyworth picks up, the show's namesake is an ex-British SAS soldier who starts up a security company in 1960s London, and goes to work for Bruce's billionaire father Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) shortly after. The teaser suggests the series will strike the tone of a pulpy period espionage adventure, complete with all the cloak and dagger dealings, gun fights, knife fights, steamy encounters, and Alfred channeling his inner suave secret agent that one could ask for.

The show's tone comes as little surprise either, seeing as Pennyworth hales from producers Danny Cannon and Bruno Heller, aka. the minds behind the decidedly bonkers Gotham. For its fans, there's something irresistible about Gotham's brand of ridiculousness, and the latest Batman prequel series looks to offer something similar, for those interested. The first season will run for ten episodes and feature a cast that includes Polly Walker (Mr Selfridge), Dorothy Atkinson (Harlots), Jason Flemyng (Jamestown), Jessica Ellerby (Benidorm), and singer-songwriter Paloma Faith in recurring roles. Expect to see more of them when the full trailer drops.